What's your favourite historical novel? Tell us and be in with a chance to WIN a SIGNED COPY of Helen Dunmore's new novel Exposure plus backlist book bundle

[UrsulaMumsnet]

Set against a backdrop of the Cold War, spies and scandal, Helen Dunmore's remarkable new novel, Exposure, out this week, tells the story of a woman's determination to protect her family at all costs. When Lily's husband is accused of passing on highly sensitive information to the Soviets, and arrested, Lily is forced to confront forbidden love, intimate betrayal and the devastating power of exposure.

"Exposure is the sort of winter read you hanker for...the period is so meticulously re-created that you almost hear the hiss of the gas streetlamps." - The Times

"This book is a triumph - a marvellous piece of seamless storytelling." - Penelope Lively

Share your favourite historical novels for a chance to win a signed copy of Exposure, plus a backlist bundle of books including Sunday Times bestseller The Lie and The Betrayal.

Helen Dunmore is the author of fourteen novels. Her first, Zennor in Darkness, explored the events which led to D H Lawrence’s expulsion from Cornwall (on suspicion of spying) during the First World War. It won the McKitterick Prize. Her third novel, A Spell of Winter, won the inaugural Orange Prize, now the Bailey’s Prize for Women’s Fiction. Her bestselling novel The Siege, set during the Siege of Leningrad, was described by Antony Beevor as ‘a world-class novel’ and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Novel of the Year and the Orange Prize.

She is fascinated by the Cold War era, which was also the era of her childhood, and is the setting for Exposure, and by the secrets, betrayals, loves, lies and loyalties which make up the period’s intimate history.

[Greymalkin]

Too many to pick just one!

I also loved The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. The characters were so well developed.

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir is wonderfully researched and written. It is the story of Lady Jane Grey. Weir is a highly respected historian and it comes across in her books

I'm a huge fan of Bernard Cornwell who has written many novels set in different historical periods. I'm an archer myself so love his books '1356' and 'Azincourt' His writing of battle scenes is well researched and really gives a sense of what it would have been like.

[Provencalroseparadox]

I love Gone with the Wind but also The Earth Song Series by Jeam M Auel

[Anj123]

I read two excellent historical novels last year. They were the Miniaturist by Jessie Burton and the Paying Guests by Sarah Waters.

[LadyStark]

Another Katherine by Anya Seton fan here, named my daughter Katherine too!

[Lucretia12]

Murder Most Royal by Jean Plaidy - the story of the two queens betrayed and beheaded by Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn is probably one of my favourites as I love all the Tudor tales, but then again Jean Plaidy was such a prolific writer of historical novels that I think any of her books would qualify.

[AlbertHerbertHawkins]

Oh yes! Sarah Waters 'The Paying Guests' and the C J Sandon series.

[AlbertHerbertHawkins]

*Sanson

[Roseformeplease]

I loved "Sacred Hearts" by Sarah Dunant. Utterly, utterly compelling story of women in an Italian convent in the 16th century. Brilliant characters and it still affects me years after reading it. I also love some of the other books mentioned on this thread, particularly the Wolf Hall ones and The Book Thief.

[Quogwinkle]

Am I allowed to mention a couple more?

Strange Meeting by Susan Hill
My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young.

Both brilliantly observed novels about WW1

[LadyIsabellaWrotham]

Pretty much all of Sarah Waters. Wolf Hall/Bring Up the Bodies of course.
Blackout/All Clear, To Say Nothing of the Dog and The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

But I really need to fly the flag for Georgette Heyer, and in particular An Infamous Army.

[Jossykaye]

I loved Katherine by Anya Seton. You really feel as if you're witnessing famous Medieval events as they unfold and a great romance.

[BloodyPlantagenets]

Another one for Pillars of the Earth, I'm actually re-reading it at the moment for maybe the fourth time. It's so well written and I love all the detail about how they built the cathedrals etc. I'm normally a science fiction/fantasy girl.

[starlight36]

Another vote for Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies. I also have a soft spot for Philippa Gregory and have read a large number of her novels - my favourite still remaining 'The other Boleyn Girl'.

[MissElizaBennett]

I've always been fascinated by the Roman period, and as a child I loved the Eagle of the Ninth trilogy (another vote for Rosemary Sutcliffe, burwellmum!).

My go-to comfort reads now are Lindsey Davis's series of detective novels set in first-century Rome (The Silver Pigs is the first), which star Marcus Didius Falco as a would-be hardboiled private eye. Warm, witty and stuffed with a wonderful cast of supporting characters, including exotic dancers (though not as many as Falco would like), dodgy landlords, exasperating relatives, stray dogs, suspicious senators and Falco's nemesis, the Emperor's Chief Spy...

[Fumnudge]

I have loved many mentioned here depending on my age at the time.
The Vizard Mask by Diana Norman sticks in my mind as a great fun read and I was so very upset and moved by The Book Thief

[minsmum]

Wolf hall, The siege and the Stranger Prince are without doubt wonderful books. I would also add Mila 18 by Leon Uris

[PeopleOnTheEdgeOfTheNight]

I recommend Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine McMahon, which is set during the Crimean war.

[blogmumjd]

I love Philippa Gregory's books. Think The Red Queen is probably my favourite

[Supermam]

"Life after Life" by Kate Atkinson. I thought her descriptions of London during the Blitz were incredibly moving and made it vividly alive.

[anonooo]

The short summer of anarchy by hm enzensberger. Great book about Spanish civil war.

[Andcake]

So many 'an instance in the finger post' comes to mind straight away so cleverly written ideal for a mystery

[todormirchev]

I would choose Ayn Rand and Atlas Shrugged. I also enjoyed Ken Follett and his Century Trilogy (Fall of Gians, Winter of the World and Edge of Eternity).

[Artus]

Another vote for Dorothy Dunnetts Lymond novels, but many others mentioned are great too. Edith Pargeter's Heaven Tree trilogy hasn't been mentioned. She has a very distinctive style that wont appeal to everyone though.

[cambridgemumof4]

Elizabeth Jane Howard - the Light Years- we rad it for Book Group last week and all loved it. What a great writer! Fabulous characters! And there are four or five more in the series....

[DramaAlpaca]

Yet another vote for Katherine, by Anya Seton. I've lost count of the number of times I've read it since I first came across it as a teenager.